


Silence and Memory

by minnabird



Series: Actions Have Consequences [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Freeverse, Other, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-30
Updated: 2011-09-30
Packaged: 2017-10-27 18:12:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/298616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minnabird/pseuds/minnabird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of the war, Percy finds that he cannot forgive himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silence and Memory

Heavy silence. Stifling like a cloak,  
A shroud to bury his pride with the dead,  
The fallen ranks whose names he sees listed,  
Counted and sorted in orderly columns.  
There’s no call for pride anymore.  
Silence is all he can bear to give.

He remembers.

A list of names, tirelessly compiled,  
The sweat of hours, days, weeks,  
A masterwork of persistence;  
A list, in the papers, hatefully used,  
Promising bloodshed and terror,  
Hatred played with consummate skill.  
A strident silence, demanding he speak,  
A shark’s grin awaiting his response.  
All sharp teeth and instinct for pain,  
A gleeful Yaxley drives the knife home:  
“You’ve done marvelous work, Weasley –  
Too bad Umbridge took the credit.”  
Silence is all he can afford to give.

He remembers.

He keeps a tally in his head:  
Oliver Wood, seen at a bar, avoided;  
Penny, ditto, evaded with pounding heart.  
Hurrying past Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes,  
Unable to face his brother’s grief.  
Strained silence at the Burrow,  
Air fit to snap with unspoken words,  
Percy refusing to speak the truth:  
He’s not worthy of his family’s love.  
Silence is all he dares to give.

He cannot forget.


End file.
